The time has finally come. Your exec has just tasked you with planning the upcoming company offsite. The date is set and the guest list has been finalized, and it’s now your job to coordinate every other detail, from hotel stays to evening canapes.
As an executive assistant, you’re a master at coordinating chaos, an important skill when planning an offsite. However, raw talent isn’t enough to plan a successful offsite, especially if this is your first time organizing one.
So how do you get started with planning offsite meetings?
First things first, you’ll need to decide where the offsite will take place. While selecting a location may seem like an easy first task, it’s a much more nuanced decision than many people realize.
Why is Location so Important?
Location, location, location. Outside of selecting a date, choosing the location of your company offsite is one of the most critical decisions in the planning process. In choosing the right meeting location, you'll set the tone for an offsite that will leave employees excited to collaborate and connect with their colleagues. Pick the wrong location, and you could quickly find yourself over-budget, under-prepared, and stuck dealing with frustrated attendees and executives.
This is because location impacts nearly every aspect of an offsite. Location will influence hotel and meal costs, flight details, activities and excursions, and even whether or not employees can attend in the first place.
In your search to find the perfect location for your company offsite, you've likely already identified a few important factors to consider. These probably include:
- Budget
- Ease of travel to and from offsite
- Access to restaurants, activities, hotels, etc.
These considerations are a great starting place and are definitely important when selecting the right company offsite location. However, they don't begin to cover the many factors that can derail even the most perfectly planned offsite. If you want to make sure your offsite is a real success, then you’ll need to think beyond budget and convenience.
To help you organize the best offsite possible, we've spoken with event planning experts and come up with a list of 5 key considerations for the executive assistant who wants to pick the perfect offsite location.
5 Key Considerations for the Executive Assistant Who Wants to Pick the Perfect Offsite Location
1. Goal of the Offsite
Your location must align with the offsite goal. If not, it’s easy to choose a seemingly perfect location that instead sabotages the success of your offsite.
For example, say the goal of the offsite is to plan quarterly OKRs. You find a dude ranch near Denver, Colorado that seems perfect; it’s convenient, under budget, has an on-site chef, and team building activities. However, you learn afterward that the offsite is a total flop because the ranch had no internet and spotty cell signal, meaning the team couldn't do any planning sessions to prepare for the next quarter.
This is obviously an exaggeration, but you get the point! When evaluating locations, make sure you keep the offsite's goal in mind to ensure the final location has the amenities, activities, and services needed to achieve the goal. If you're unsure of the goal of the offsite you're planning, be sure to ask for clarity. This one piece of knowledge will go a long way in your planning success.
2. Local Events
Do a quick search to see if there are any major festivals, conferences, or other events taking place at the same time as your offsite. If there are any overlapping events, consider how those events may impact your offsite.
Local events can really elevate the attendee experience at your offsite. For example, an offsite in New Orleans during the annual Jazz Festival would offer team members a fun way to unwind in the evenings after a long day of strategy sessions.
However, local events can also prove to be a logistical nightmare. Steer clear of locations hosting large, international conferences or festivals (e.g. the Super Bowl) at the same time as your offsite. These large events cause hotel and transportation prices to skyrocket due to increased demand. Entire areas of the city could be shut down, and excessive traffic will make getting to and from activities miserable.
3. Timing
Timing may seem like an obvious factor to consider when selecting the best offsite meeting location, but you would be surprised how often it's overlooked. From weather to local holidays, timing plays a big role in whether a location is right for your offsite.
It’s important to also consider timing in terms of how much time you have to plan. Do you have 3 months to organize an offsite or 3 weeks? The answer to this question will have a major impact on which locations are actually realistic. If you’re operating in terms of weeks, an international destination won’t be feasible if there are team members who need to update their passports or visas.
Executive assistants may seem like they can do magic, but even your powers have limitations when it comes to the U.S. Department of State.
4. Your Offsite Attendees
When selecting a location, be sure to take a moment to consider your attendees before making a decision. After all, they're the stars of the offsite! Does the location have accommodations for team members with mobility issues? Will anyone require special travel documents, like visas, to reach the destination? If so, is there enough time before the offsite for them to get the necessary documents?
If you don't have much information about the attendees, try sending a survey to the team before selecting the offsite location. This is a great way to learn about attendees, where they're located, activities they're interested in, dietary restrictions, and other specific accommodations that are needed. In addition to helping you choose the right location, an attendee survey can also help with important tasks later on, like catering and booking excursions.
5. Meeting Safety
Companies are responsible for the safety of their employees during business travel, and that includes offsites. This responsibility is referred to as Duty of Care in the world of travel logistics. Make sure that the location you choose is safe for all of your attendees. Do a quick search on your preferred location(s) to see if there are any current public health concerns or other potential forces that might jeopardize the safety of your team.
It's impossible to plan for every eventuality. You can remove some risks, though, with some simple research up front.
Closing
Location sets the tone for an engaging, successful offsite. By carefully considering the factors that go into selecting a location for a company offsite you’ll be sure to choose the perfect destination.
If you're feeling overwhelmed juggling offsite planning in addition to your typical workload, TROOP can help. Learn how our start-to-finish meeting management solution makes strategic offsite meeting planning easy.
